times for blowing away sixty of the Britaine Kings with one blast yet when he compareth the generations with the time is forced thus to write From Porrex to Mynogen are twenti one Kings in a lineall descent and but yeers ninety two now diuide 92. by 21. and you shall find that children beget children and these saith he by George Owen Harry in his book of pedegrees dedicated to his Maiesty appeareth to be in a lineall descent besides three or foure collaterals And yet goeth further Though the Scripture saith hee allege Iudah Hezron Salomon and Ezekiah to be but yoong when they begat their sonnes which as Rabbi Isack saith might be at thirteene yeeres of age And although Saint Augustine say that the strength of youth may beget children yoong and Hierome bringeth instance of a boy that at ten yeeres of age begot a childe yet this doth not helpe to excuse the mistaking of yeeres for the British Kings aboue mentioned Thus far Iohn Lewis and for the exceptions made against Brute wherin I haue altogether vsed the words of others and will now without offense I hope adde a supposall of mine owne seeing I am fallen into the computation of times which is the onely touch-stone to the truth of histories especially such as are limited by the bounds of the sacred Scriptures as this for Brutes entrance is And that the same cannot bee so ancient supposing it were neuer so certaine as the vulgar opinion hitherto hath held the circumstance of time to my seeming sufficiently doth prooue 20 For Brutes conquest and entrance are brought by his Authour to fall in the eighteenth yeere of Heli his Priesthood in the Land of Israel and so is fastned into a computation that cannot erre Now the eighteenth yeere of Helies gouernment by the holy Scriptures most sure account is set in the yeere of the worlds creation 2887. after the vniuersall flood 1231. and before the birth of our blessed Sauiour 1059. yeeres Brute then liuing in this foresaid time was foure descents from the conquered Troians as he of Monmouth hath laid downe which were Aeneas Ascanius Syluius and himselfe so that by these generations successiue in order the very yeere almost of Troys destruction may certainly be pointed out and knowen which in searching hath beene found so doubtful that by some it hath beene thought to be a meere fable Yet with more reuerence to antiquitie obserued let vs cast and compare the continuance of these foure generations vnto Brutes Conquest not shortning them with Baruch to be but ten yeeres to an age neither lengthning them with Iosephus who accounteth one hundred and seuenty yeeres for a generation but with more indifferencie let vs with Herodotus who wrote neerer these times allow thirty yeeres for a succession as hee accounteth in his second booke Now foure times thirty make one hundred and twenty the number of yeeres that these foure Princes successiuely did liue by which computation likewise measured by Scripture the ruination of Troy fell in the thirtie eighth yeere of Gideons gouernment in Israel and was the yeere after the worlds creation 2768. But the authoritie of Clemens Alexandrinus alleged out of Menander Pergamenus and Letus destroieth that time of Troies destruction and placeth it fully two hundred and thirtie yeeres after euen in the raigne of King Salomon for in his first booke Stromatâ—…n thus he writeth Menelaus from the ouer throw of Troy came into Phoenicia at that time when Hiram King of Tyrus gaue his daughter in mariage vnto Salomon King of Israel Where by him we see that Troies ruines and Salomons raigne fell both vpon one time And so Brute hath lost of his antiquity by this account 230. yeeres and entred not in Helies Priesthood but rather in the vsurpation of Iudahs Kingdome by Athalia and in the yeere of the world 3118. 21 To whom let vs ioine Iosephus an Authour of great credit and without suspicion in this case who in his Nations defense against Appion in both his bookes confidently affirmeth himselfe able to proue by the Phoenician Records of warrantable credit that the City Carthage was built by Dido sister to Pigmalion one hundred fiftie and fiue yeeres after the raigne of King Hiram which was Salomons friend and one hundred forty three yeeres and eight moneths after the building of his most beautifull Temple Now wee know by Virgil from whom all these glorious tales of Troy are told that Carthage was in building by the same Dido at such time as Aeneas came from Troies ouerthrow through the Seas of his manifold aduentures If this testimonie of Iosephus be true then fals Troies destruction about the twentieth yeere of Ioas raigne ouer Iudah which was the yeere of the worlds creation 3143. wherunto if we adde one hundred and twenty yeeres for the foure descents before specified then wil Brutes conquest of this Iland fall with the twelfth of Iothams raigne in the Kingdome of Iudah which meets with the yeere of the worlds continuance 3263. And so hath he againe lost of his antiquitie no lesse then 375. yeeres 22 And yet to make a deeper breach into Brutes storie and to set the time in a point so vncertaine as from which neither circle nor line can be trulie drawen Manethon the Historian Priest of Egypt in his second booke cited by Iosephus affirmeth that the Israelites departure from Egypt was almost a thousand yeeres before the warres of Troy If this be so as it seemeth Iosephus alloweth it so and one hundred and twenty yeeres more added for the foure descents aboue mentioned the number will fall about the yeere of the worlds creation 3630. long after the death of Alexander the Great and Greeke Monarch By which account the great supposed antiquity of Brute is now lessened by seuen hundred fiftie and two yeeres and the time so scantelized betwixt his and Cesars entrance that two hundred forty six yeeres onely remaine a time by much too short for seuenty two Princes which successiuely are said to raigne each after others and from Brute to Cesar recorded to haue swaied the regall Scepter of this Iland 23 But vnto these obiections I know the answer will be ready namely the diuersities of Scriptures account being so sundrie and different that the storie of Brute cannot thereby bee touched but still standeth firme vpon it selfe Indeed I must confesse that from the first Creation to the yeere of mans Redemption the learned Hebrewes Greekes and Latines differ much and that not only each from others but euen among themselues so farre that there can be no indifferent reconciliation made as by these seuerall computations may be seene as followeth Hebrewes Baal Seder-Holem 3518. Talmundistes 3784. New Rabbins 3760. Rabbi Nahsson 3740. Rabbi Leui 3786. Rabbi Moses Germidisi 4058. Iosephus 4192. Greekes Metheodorus 5000. Eusebius 5190. Theophilus Antioch 5476. Latines Saint Hierome 3941.
the third sonne of King Penda in the nonage of yong Kenred the sonne of Vulfhere who in his tender yeeres rather desired a priuate life then any publike authority in the Common-weale succeeded his brother both in the Kingdome of Mercia and Monarchy of the Englishmen But when hee had raigned thirty yeeres gaue ouer the Crowne to his Nephew the said Kenred and became a Monke in the Monastery of Bradney in Lincolne-shire where hee died Anno 716. His Wife was Osfryde Daughter to Oswyn King of Northumberland and issue Chelred that succeeded Kenred in the Mercian kingdome KEnred the sonne of Vulfhere his Vncle Ethelred changing his Princely Crown for a Monks Coule beganne his Raigne ouer the Mercians and his Monarchy ouer the English Anno 704. wherein he raigned the space of foure yeeres and then with like deuotion of those times addicted to an easie and quiet Religion abandoned both Crowne and Country and went to Rome where of Pope Constantine hee receiued the tonsure and habit of a Monke at the Apostles Tombes and entring a Monastery therein spent other foure yeeres of his life to the day of his death which was Anno 708. hauing had neither wife nor issue to reuiue his name or to rule his kingdome CHelred receiuing the resignation of Kenred his Cosin-german when he went to Rome and of sufficient yeeres and discretion to haue succeeded Ethelred his Father what time the said Kenred was ordained King raigned with great valour ouer the Mercians and was likewise Monarch ouer the Englishmen His peace was disquieted by Inas his West-Saxons who for seuen yeeres continuance inuaded his kingdome His Wife was Wereburge saith Marianus and Florentius the Monke who ascribe to her a long life and to die without Childten This Chelred raigned the space of eight yeeres and died the yeere of grace seuen hundred and fifteenth whose body was buried in the Cathedrall Church of Lechfeild EThelbald after the death of Chelred was made King of the Mercians and Monarch of the English the yeere of Christs Incarnation seuen hundred sixteene He was a Prince giuen to peace but withall a most lasciuious Adulterer insomuch that Boniface Archbishop of Mentz wrote his Epistle vnto him in reprehension of the same which tooke such effect that in repentance of his foule facts hee founded the Monasterie of Crowland driuing in mighty Piles of Oake into that moorish ground whereon hee laid a great and goodly building of stone He was the son of Aâ—…wr the elder sonne of Eoppa the second sonne of King Wibba the brother of King Penda and raigned fortie two yeeres in the end whereof he was slaine in a battell fought against Cuthred King of the West-Saxons at Secondone three miles from Tamworth the yeere of Christ seuen hundred fiftie fiue and was buried at Repton in Darby-shire hauing had neither Wife nor Children OFfa slaying Bernred the murtherer of King Ethelbald entred vpon the gouernment of the Mercians and the Monarchy of the Saxons An. 758. He inlarged his dominion vpon the Britaines ouercame the Kentish in a battell put to flight the Northumbrians and vanquished the West-Saxons the East-Angles also he seised vpon after he had murthered Ethelbert their King He raigned thirty nine yeeres and died at Ofley the nine and twenty day of Iuly the yeere of our Lord seuen hundred ninetie foure and was buried without the Town of Bedford in a Chapell now swallowed vp by the Riuer Owse He was the son of Thingfryd the sonne of Eanulfe whose Father Osmund was the sonne of Eoppa the brother of King Penda and son of King Wibba whose Father was Crida the first King of the Mercians His Wife was Quendred and children many of whom and of them we will further speake when we come to the time of his Monarchy EGfryde the sonne of great Offa was by him made King at his returne from Rome being the only ioy of his parents and heire apparant to the Saxons Monarchy vpon which he entred the day after his fathers death and liued himselfe but a hundred and fortie daies after deceasing the seuenteenth of December in the yeere of our Lord God seuen hundred ninety six hauing had neither wife nor issue that wee reade of and his body honourably interred in the Church of the Monasterie of Saint Albanes founded by Offa. KEnwolfe the cosen a farre off to King Egfrid deceased and both of them remooued in bloud no lesse then six descents from Wibba the second Mercian King was the sonne of Cuthbert as the Monke of Worcester deriues him the sonne of Bassa the sonne of Kenrowe the sonne of Kentwin the sonne of Kenwalk the sonne of Wibba aforesaid and succeeded King Egfryd in his Dominions But of this Mercian Monarch more shall be written in the succession and time of that his gouernment Hee raigned two and twentie yeeres and deceased the yeere of our Lord eight hundred and nineteene and his bodie interred in the Monasterie of Winchcombe in the Countie of Glocester being of his owne foundation His wife was Queene Elfryde the daughter as some suppose of Offa who had beene betrothed to Ethelbert King of the East-Angles slaine by her father by whom he had issue Kenelm Quendred and Burgemhild of whom more followeth KEnelm the sonne of King Kenwolfe a childe of seuen yeeres old succeeded in the Kingdome of Mercia but not in the Monarchie as his fathers had done Egbert the West-Saxon at that time being grown great in his fortunes This young King Kenelm raigned only fiue moneths and then by the ambitious desire of Quendrid his sister who seeking the gouernment by the shedding of his guiltlesse bloud instigated one Askbert his Instructor by promises of great preferments and rich rewards to make him away who only stood as she thought in her way to the Crowne This wicked practise was foorth with as impiously performed for hauing him foorth vnder pretence of hunting he slew the innocent King whose vertuous inclination promised great hopes and whose harmlesse yeeres had not attained to any worldly guile His bodie hee secretly buried vnder a bush and if we will beleeue the Golden Legend where his life is described was thus found out A white Doue which belike had seene the deed done and had got it ingrossed in a scrole of parchment posted therewith to S. Peter in Rome and vpon the High Altar laid it to bee read where in the Saxon characters thus it was found In Clenc kon baâ—… Kenelme Kinbaâ—…ne lieâ—… 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is At Clenc in a Cow pasture Kenelme the Kings childe lieth beheaded vnder a thorne But most true it is that an obscure sepulcher the body had at the first and howsoeuer found out was afterwards with great honour and ceremonie translated to the Monasterie of Winchcombe which his father had founded The murderesse Quendrid
likelyhoods to induce that she was his lawfull Queene 11 Elfleda the second wife of King Edward was the daughter as Mathew of Westminster reporteth of an Earle named Ethelhelme and Asser the Bishop of Sherborne maketh mention of an Earle in Wiltshire among the West-Saxons of the same name who was in great fauour with King Elfred the father of this King by whom hee was sent Ambassador to carry his Almes to Stephen the sixt of that name Bishop of Rome in the yeare of our Lord 887 and by all probable conference of name time and place hee seemeth to bee the man that was father to this Queene 12 Edgina the third wife of King Edward was the daughter and heire of Earle Sigeline Lord of Meapham Culings and Leanham in Kent who was there slaine in battaile against the Danes Anno 927. She was married vnto King Edward about the fourteenth yeare of his raigne being the yeare of Grace 916. She was his wife ten yeares and after his death she liued a widdow all the times of the raignes of King Ethelstan her sonne in law of King Edmund and King Edred her owne sonnes of King Edwy her Grand-child and was liuing in the Raigne of King Edward another of her Grand-children almost fortie yeares after the death of her husband It is writ of her that in the yeare of Grace 959. Shee offered her lands and euidences to Christ vpon his Altar at Canterbury She deceased the twenty fift of August in the fourth yeare of the said King Edgar and of Christ 963. His Children 13 Ethelstan the eldest sonne of King Edward and the Lady Eguina was borne and growne to good yeeres in the time of the raigne of his Grandfather King Elfred who with his owne hands gaue him the order of Knighthood after a very honourable manner of creation as William the Monke of Malmsbury a great obseruer of such things hath left in writing who reporteth that he put vpon him a Purple Robe and girt him with a girdle wrought with pearle and a Saxon sword in a scabard of gold hanging at the same He was the Successor of his Father in the West-Saxons dominions and the English Monarchy 14 Elfred the second sonne of King Edward and the Lady Eguina is warranted by the testimony of the story of Hyde to haue been loued of his Father aboue all his other children that he caused him in his owne lifetime to bee crowned King and to sit with him in his Seat of Estate as his Partner in the Kingdome and that he enioyed that great honour but for a small time deceasing shortly after his creation and long before his fathers death and was buried in the New Monastery at Winchester which afterwards was remoued to Hyde 15 Editha whom the Scotish Writers call Beatrite the daughter of King Edward and the Lady Eguma with great honour was maried to Sythrick the Danish King of Northumberland in the first yeere of the raigne of her brother King Ethelstane being the yeere of grace 915. Within one yeere after her mariage her husband deceased and his sonne Guthfrid succeeded him in his Kingdome Wherefore she forsaking that Country obtained of her brothers gift the Castell of Tamworth in the County of Warwicke where she began a Monastery of Nunnes and therein liued died and was interred and both the Monastery and Body afterwards was remoued from thence vnto Pollesworth 16 Elsward the third son of King Edward the first of Queen Elfleda his second wife was born as it seemeth about the beginning of his Fathers raigne He was carefully brought vp in the study of Liberall Arts and in all other princely qualities so that it was expected he should haue succeeded his Father in the Kingdome but presently vpon his fathers decease he deceased himselfe in Oxford and was buried at one time and in one place with him in the New Monastery at Winchester in the yeere of Christ Iesus 924. 17 Edwine the fourth sonne of King Edward and the second of Queene Elfleda his second Wife was very young when his father was buried and his brother Ethelstane crowned Notwithstanding a deep ielosie possessing the King that his title was too neere the Crowne he caused him to be put into a little Pinnesse without either Tackle or Oares one only page accompanying him that his death might be imputed to the waues whence the young Prince ouercome with griefe and not able to master his owne passions cast himselfe headlong into the sea and his dead body being driuen vpon the coasts of Flanders was taken vp by Adulphe Earle of Boloine his cosen-germane and honourably buried in the Monastery of Saint Bertin in the Towne of S. Omers Which fact was much lamented by King Ethelstan who greeuously punished the suggestions of his owne ielosie and the procurers of his brothers death sending great thanks to the Earle that buried him and rich presents to the Monastery which entombed him and to appease the ghost of his innocent brother built the Abbey of Mialeton in the County of Dorset 18 Elfleda the second daughter of King Edward and the first of Queene Elfleda his second Wife entred into the orders of Religion and tooke vpon her the profession and vow of Virginity in the Monastery of Rumsey situated vpon the Riuer Test in the County of Southampton In which Monastery she was first a Nunne and afterward Abbesse during the whole time of her life which was there spent and ended and her body in the said Abbey buried 19 Eguina the third daughter of King Edward and the second of Queene Elfleda his second Wife was the second Wife to Charles the third surnamed the Simple King of France son to King Lews the brother of Iudith Queene of England before mentioned She had issue by him Lewis the third surnamed Beyond-sea because he was brought vp here in England with his Vnkle King Ethelstan and Gillet Duchesse of Normandy maried to Rollo the Dane who in regard of his marriage was allowed to bee the first Duke of that Country This Queene suruiued King Charles her Husband and afterwards was remaried to Herbert the younger Earle of Vermandoys which marriage was taken for so great an indignity because Earle Herbert the elder father to this Earle had caused the King her Husband to die in prison that King Lewis her sonne presently pursued her apprehended and committed her to the strait custody of Queene Gerberge his wife so as shee had no recourse vnto him nor issue by him 20 Ethelhild the fourth daughter of King Edward and the third of Queene Elfleda his second Wife followed the example of her elder sister Elfleda and became a Nunne in the Monastery of Wilton which was sometime the head Towne giuing name to the whole County of Wiltshire and antiently called Ellandon 21 Edhild the fifth daughter of King Edward and the fourth of Queene Elfleda
against excessiue drinking ordaining a size by certaine pinnes set in the pot with penalties to any that should presume to drinke deeper then the marke 5 His policie was no lesse prudent but much more successefull for the destruction of Wolues that in his daies did great annoiance to the land for the tribute imposed vpō the Princes of Wales by the English King Ethelstan as we haue said he wholy remitted and in lieu thereof appointed certaine numbers of Wolues yeerely to bee paid and Ieuaf or Iage Prince of North-Wales did for his part pay him yeerely three hundred which continued for three yeeres space but in the fourth was not a Wolfe to bee found and so the tribute ceased 6 His Nauie roiall containing three thousand and sixe hundred ships he diuided into three parts appointing euery of them to a seuerall quarter to waffe the Seas and secure the coasts from Pirats and forraine enemies wherein himselfe euery summer would saile with those in the East parts vnto those in the West and sending them backe to their charge would with the West saile into the North and with the northerne fleete compasse againe into the East whereby the seas were scowred and his Kingdom exceedingly strengthned 7 The like custome vsed he in the winter season in his ieysts and circuits throughout his Country so to take account of the administration of his lawes and the demeanour of his great men especially of his Iudges whom seuerely he punished so often as he found the execution of their places ballanced either with bribery or partiality so that there was neuer lesse robbery deceit or oppressions thē in the raigne of this worthy King 8 His state thus flourishing in peace and prosperity he caused diuers Princes to bind themselues vnto his allegiance but perchanceit may iustly be doubted whether in such performance of homage and seruice as Malmsbury Florentius Randulphus Marianus Houeden and other writers affirme to haue beene at the City Chester where they say Kennadie King of Scots Malcolme of Cumberland Maxentius an Arch-Pirate with the petty King of Wales Duffnall Griffith Hunal Iacob and Indithil did with oares row his Barge vpon the riuer Dee from his Pallace to Saint Iohns Church and thence againe backe to his Pallace himselfe the while steering the helme and saying in his glory that then his successors might trulie account themselues Soueraigne Kings of England when they enioyed such a Prerogatiue of sublimity and supreme honour although saith M. Fox he might much better and more Christianlike haue said God forbid that I should reioice but in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ. 9 Warres he had none in all his raigne onely towards the end the Welshmen moued some rebellion which to preuent hee assembled a mighty Army and therewith entred into the County of Glamorgan sharply punishing the ringleaders thereof but his souldiers doing great harms in the country laden with spoiles for the returne the King out of his bounty commanded all to be againe restored whereby hee purchased singular loue and honour of the inhabitants 10 To his magnanimity was ioined much deuotion but most especially towards the Monks for whom and for Nunnes hee built and repaired forty seuen Monasteries intending to haue continued their number vnto fifty as himselfe testifieth in these words of his Charter The Monasteries aswell of Monks as of Virgins haue beene destroied and quite neglected throughout England which I haue now determined to repaire to the glory of God for my soules health and so to multiply the number of Gods seruants and handmaides and now already I haue set vp forty seuen Monasteries with Monks and Nunnes in them and if Christ spare me life so long I am determined in offering my deuout munificence to God to proceed to fifty euen to the iust number of a Iubilee And by this his Charter did not onely approue the enlargement of S. Maries Monasterie in Worcester and the restoring of Votaries in stead of married Priests but himselfe either new founded or repaired many others as the house of Ely Glasenbury Abington Burgh Thorney Ramsey Wilton Wenton Winchorne and Thumstocke with great cost and large endowments hauing the Clergie in an high and reuerent esteeme and most of all his Confessor Dunstan but with this wheate there were tares growing though the late Monkish Writers bind them vp for good corne for some men tell saith Randulphus Higden that Edgar in his beginning was cruell to Citizens and lecherous to maidens whereof these his actions ensuing beare sufficient witnes 11 The first was committed against the virgine Wolfhild a sacred Nunne as some affirme though others somwhat mitigating that sacrilegious offence haue reported that she to auoid his fleshly and lasciuious lust was forced to take the habite of a Menchion vpon her and in the same brought to his bed wherein the chast S. Edith was begot and for whom say they he vnderwent his seuen yeeres penance without the wearing of his Crowne 12 A like offence hee committed against the virgine Ethelfleda the daughter of Ordmar a Duke among the East-Angles who for her surpassing beauty was surnamed the White on whom he begat his eldest sonne Edward for which fact as M. Fox affirmeth hee did his seuen yeeres penance inioined by Dunstan and indeed by Osberne it appeareth that Edward was not legitimate where he writeth that the child begotten of the harlot he baptized in the holy fountaine of regeneration and so giuing his name to bee called Edward did adopt him to bee his sonne With whom agree Nicholas Trinet in his English story written in French Iohannes Paris in his French story written in Latine both of them calling Edward a sonne illegitimate as also doth Vincentius and Antoninus howbeit William of Malmsbury Mathew Paris Mathew of Westminster Randulphus and others will haue her his first and lawfull wife and Edward in true matrimony to haue descended from them 13 An other instance of his lasciuious life is produced by the forenamed Writers and thus both occasioned and acted It chanced Edgar to heare a Virgine and daughter to a Westerne Duke exceedingly praised for her incomparable beauty the touch of which string from his care resounded to his heart and as a bait it drew him presently into those parts where comming to Andeuer commanded the damsell to his bed The mother tender of the Virgins honour brought in the darke her maid but not her daughter who all as well pleased the King in his sinnefull dalliance the day approching this late laid maid made hast to arise but the King loth to part yet with his supposed faire Lady demanded why she made such hast who answered him that her taske was great and hardly would her worke be done if day should preuent her ere she rose but yet being staied aboue her howre vpon her knees she made this humble request that shee might be freed from her
BRITANNIA A ROMANE A SAXON A DANE A NORMAN THE HISTORY OF GREAT BRITAINE Under the Conquests of the ROMANS SAXONS DANES and NORMANS Their Originals Manners Warres Coines Seales with the Successions Lives acts Issues of the English Monarchs from IULIUS CAESAR to our most gracious Soueraigne King IAMES by IOHN SPEED IMPRINTED AT LONDON Anno Cum Privilegio 1611 And are to be solde by Iohn Sudbury Georg Humble in Popes head alley at the signe of the white Horse THE PROEME TO THE LEARNED AND LOVERS OF GREAT BRITAINES GLORY HAuing thus farre trauelled in the protract and description of this famous Empire of GREAT BRITAINE I might here haue rested and claimed the priuiledge that yeeres and imbecillitie haue brought me vnto had not a further desire in others â—…ged it a matter incident historically to lay downe the originals of those Nations and successions of those Monarchs which either by birth or conquest haue aspired to the Imperiall Crowne And albeit I finde my selfe both tired in the former and most vnfit to prosecute this latter yet will I endeuour to giue herein my best assayes though as my labours so my wants also thereby will be made more vulgar to the world For if those men were blame-worthy against whom Heraclite exclaimeth who with long toile and great trouble finde a little pure substance in a great deale of base earth how shall I then free me from the like imputatioâ—… that from so many mines of pure mettals haue gotten so little Oare and the same neither well tried in my defectiue fornace nor yet artificially cast off through the default of the mould wanting both skil for to fashion and measure to performe the true proportions that in such a proiect is to be required and how often these my defects haue disswaded my proceedings is best knowne to him that is the searcher of the heart But by what fate I am inforced still to goe forward I know not vnlesse it be the ardent affection and loue to my natiue Countrey wherein I must confesse that Nature in those gifts hath bene both liberall yea and prodigall though Fortune as sparing fast-handed against me euer checking the Bit with the Raines of necessity and curbing the meanes that should illustrate my labours which moues me sometimes to thinke that if the great Philosopher Theophrastus had cause on his death-bed to accuse Nature for giuing man so long a lesson and so short a life then I against Fortune may as iustly exclaime that hath assigned me so great a labour and so little meanes And therefore let it not seeme offensiue that I draw my waters from the Cesterns of others who am not able to fetch them at the spring-head my selfe Neither that I strike vpon the same Anuile vnto their sound though nothing so loud nor with the like strength wherein yet this fruit at least wil I hope redound of my endeuours that I shall incite the more learned if not otherwise yet in emulation of me to free the face drawne by Apelles from the censure of the fault or defect in the foot and not onely to amend but euen to new-mould the whole Which thing though my dayes are neere spent and with Barzillai I may say that musicke to me is now vnpleasing yet doth my eare thirst after the set of that straine as Socrates thoughts ranne euer on his Booke who the night before he was to suffer death was desirous to learne musicke because he would die learning still something Moses when he foresaw the destruction of his Common-wealth which whilst it stood was the glory of the earth and a paterne to all kingdomes succeeding left this for a Law among the rest and euen to remaine for euer that the fathers should teach their children and should commit vnto writing those things which the Lord in their dayes had done and enioyned the children Likewise to enquire of the times that were past euen from the first creation of man For when as Empires and Kingdomes Common weales and Cities do end and perish yet the Histories thereof do remaine and liue And that made Cicero to say as he did that Salamina should be vtterly forgotten before the things that were done in Salamina should perish And therefore as among the wise answeres of Thales the Histories of Countreis are to be accounted for principals either as Cicero calleth them the Mistres of life and expositions of Times so likewise let vs from the lyricall Poet Simonides learne this further That he is perfectly happy which knowes his natiue countrey to be truly glorious And as Cassidorâ—… calls him a worthy Citizen that seeketh the commodity of his countrey So contrariwise he is by Bale esteemed but a fruitles clod of earth that sucks the sappe of his soile onely to himselfe whose memoriall shall perish as the dispersed smoake in the clouds though for a time he mount aloft in his swelling pride This naturall loue and true affection to our natiue Countrey we may further learne from the ancient Patriarks and Fathers themselues who besides a desire that they had to theirs continually to liue therein during life commanded their bodies to be buried therein after death from whose Bowels they first had assumed their breathes and in whose bosome they layd their bones as in their last bed of rest Yea of the vnreasonable creatures the Birds and Beasts we may learne this loue that alwayes are willing towards their home And if it happen that Countreys grow vnkinde as Homers did that in his old age and blind suffred him to beg his bread or that a Prophet in his owne countrey is not esteemed as Ieremy felt it and CHRIST IESVS taught yet did the one for his peoples captiuity wish his eyes a fountaine of teares and the other for his countreys destruction lamented and wept holding it vnlawfull to take the childrens bread and to giue it vnto others That this our Countrey and subiect of History deserueth the loue of her inhabitants is witnessed euen by forraine writers themselues who haue termed it the Court of Queene Ceres the Granary of the Westerne world the fortunate Island the Paradise of pleasure and Garden of God whose Typographicall descriptions for the whole Iland and Geographical surueyes for the seuerall parts exceed any other kingdome vnder the cope of Heauen that onely excepted which was conquered and diuided by Iosuah And for fruitfulnes and temperature may be accounted another Canaan watered with riuers that doe cleaue the earth as the Prophet speaketh and make the land as rich and beautiful as was that of Aegypt Our Kings for valour and Sanctity ranked with the worthiest in the world and our Nations originals conquests and continuance tried by the touch of the best humane testimonies leaue as faire a Lustre vpon the same stone as doeth any other and with any nation may easily contend saith Lanquet both
him sailed ouer and subdued withall assuming to himselfe and sonne the Sirname Britannicus And honoured Plautius with his presence in his Triumphs for Britaine giuing him the right hand ascending the Capitoll and besides graced diuers Captaines that serued vnder him in that warre with Triumphall Ornaments So great an esteeme was held of the Conquest of so small a part of this Iland 13 But the Silures that is those of South-wales could not be brought to beare the Romish yoke of subiection who besides their owne courage relied much vpon the strength and valour of their Prince Caractacus whose Coine we haue heere expressed a man which had waded thorow many dangers and in many aduentures both prosperous and luckie had gotten such reputation that hee was preferred before all the British Captaines This Generall knowing his owne strength vnable to match the enemie by policie thought to supplie that want and hauing aduantage of the Countrey remooued the warre vnto the Ordouices which is now North-wales where all ioined to him that either feared or disdained to hold peace with the Romans Heere he chose a place to encampe his host euen on the top of a hill naturally defensed from accesse and where any doubt was there he stopped vp all passage with heapes of stones in maner of a Rampire neere the foot whereof ran a Riuer with a foord somewhat dangerous and not easily found where a troope of his best souldiers were set in order to receiue the Enemie The more to animate their mindes the Leaders went about exhorting and encouraging the Souldiers taking all occasions of feare from them and putting them in hope with all inducements of resolution especially Caractacus who coursing hither and thither protested that day and that battle should bee the beginning either of a recouered libertie or else a perpetuall seruitude and bondage and euer hee called vpon the names of his valiant Ancestors who formerly had chased Caesar the Dictator out of the I le by whose valour they were deliuered from Hatchets and Tributes and enioied freely their wiues and childrens bodies vndefiled The Souldiers also themselues shewed as great forwardnesse and as Echoes redoubled his words vowing according to the Religion of their Countrie neuer to yeeld for wounds or life which they all were ready to sacrifice in the cause of their liberties This their apparant resolution much appalled the Romans cheerefulnes and most of all the Captaines and Leaders who before their faces saw the Riuer on both sides of them had the hanging hils and the Fort commodious for the enemie but deadly vnto them all which notwithstanding the common Souldiers despised and demanded the battle Ostorius whose studie was chiefly to performe the parts of a Generall passed the Riuer with some little difficultie and leading his Armie vp to the Rampire was met with such a showre of darts that many therewith were wounded and slaine Yet at length breaking downe those rude compacted stones ioined battle with the enemie and afront came close to handy strokes wherein the Britaines hauing better courage then armour for they had neither headpeece nor coat of defense were sore galled with their Iauellings and two-handed swords and so disordered that they betooke themselues to flight 14 This victorie as it was almost vnexpected so was it made famous by the taking of Caractacus wife daughter and brethren and himselfe flying for succor and protection to the Brigantes was as we haue before shewed by Cartismandus their Queene betraied and deliuered into the hands of the Conquerours after his nine yeeres most generous resistance Whereupon his fame being carried ouer the Ilands and spread abroad thorow the Prouinces was also renowned in Italie and they desired to see him that so many yeeres had contemned their forces Neither was his name meanly esteemed of at Rome for whilest Caesars worth and power was there commended a more glorious conceit was held of the conquered Caractacus and against his comming to the Citie the people from all parts were assembled as to behold some notable and most rare spectacle The Emperours Guard in armes and good order were placed in the field before the Campe thorow whom the Captiues and Trophies were carried and presented after this manner first the vassals of Caractacus going formost bowed their bodies to the people as they passed and seemed by their ruefull countenances to discouer the sense of their calamitie The caparisons his chaines and other spoiles gotten in the warres were carried after them Then Caractacus his brethren wife and daughter followed and last of all himselfe whose attire and stout behauiour filled the peoples eies with wonder and delight His bodie for the most part was naked and painted with figures of diuers beasts Hee ware a chaine of iron about his necke and another about his middle the haire of his head hanging downe in curled lockes couered his backe and shoulders and the haire of his vpper lip parted on both sides lay vpon his breast Neither was his behauiour lesse noted then the strangenesse of his habit for he neither hung downe his head as daunted with base feare nor craued mercie as the rest but with a confident spirit and bold countenance held on till he came before the Imperiall Seat where making his stand and a while beholding Caesars Maiesty at last with great courage spake to this purpose 15 If my moderation in prosperitie had beene answerable to the greatnes of my birth and estate or the successe of my late attempts to the resolution of my minde I might haue come to this Citie rather as a friend to be entertained then as a Captiue to be gazed vpon neither wouldst thou disdaine to haue receiued me on termes of amitie and peace being a man of roiall descent and a Commander of many warlike Nations But what cloud soeuer hath darkened my present lot yet haue the Heauens and Nature giuen mee that in birth and minde which none can vanquish or depriue mee of I well see that you make other mens miseries the subiect and matter of your triumphs and in this my calamitie as in a mirror you now contemplate your owne glory Yet know that I am and was a Prince furnished with strength of men and abiliments of warre and what maruell is it if all bee lost seeing experience teacheth that the euents of warre are variable and the successe of policies guided by vncertaine fates As it is with me who thought that the deepe waters like a wall inclosing our Land and it so situated by heauenly prouidence as in another world might haue beene a sufficient priuilege and defense for vs against forraine inuasions but I now perceiue that the desire of soueraignty admits no limitation and if you Romans must command all then all must obey For mine owne part while I was able I made resistance and vnwilling I was to submit my necke to a seruile yoke
Letters to Rome and withall demanded directions how he might further proceed which questions were they not written by the Venerable Beda wee could hardly beleeue that such idle conceits should haue place in the minde of a man so well and fruitfully busied as Whether a woman with child might receiue the Sacrament of Baptisme or in her monethly disease the holy Communion or enter the Church how long after her deliuerance the husband ought to refraine her Bed How the Gifts that were offred on the Altar ought to be distributed and vnto what degree of consanguinitie Christians might marie and many others such like as though himselfe had neuer read either Moses or Paul But of the thing then more needfull for that at that time it stirred most contention it seemeth he was sufficiently instructed neither among his other questions is it once named and that was the due time for the celebration of Easter the difference whereof betwixt the Britaines and the Romans was such that it caused Lord-like Austen to prophecie if not to seeke their destructions and they in their opinions to hold him no better then the Man of Sinne for thus the Storie is reported 11 Austine by the assistance and authoritie of King Ethelbert called an Assemblie of the British Bishops and Doctours that had retained the doctrine of the Gospell amongst them euen from the first plantation thereof by the Apostles themselues to be holden in the Borders of the Victians and West-Saxons and at the place vpon that occasion called Augustines Oake thither resorted seuen British Bishops and many other well-learned men saith Beda out of their greatest Monasterie at Bangor where at that time Dinoth was Abbat These men now ready to goe to the foresaid Synod came first to a certaine holy and wise man which liued thereabout an Anchorets life to aske his counsell whether they ought at Austins preaching and exhortation leaue their Traditions or no The Anchoret replied If he be a man of God follow him But how shall we prooue said they that hee is a man of God The Anchoret answered Our Lord saith Takeyee on you my Yoke and learne ye of me for I am milde and humble of heart If therefore this Austine bee milde and humble of heart it is like that himselfe beareth the Yoke of Christ and will offer you the same to beare But if hee bee curst and proud it is certaine that hee is not of God neither must we much esteeme his words Then they enquired how they might know whether this Austine were proud or no Prouide quoth he that he and his companie may come first to the place of the Synod or Councell-house and if it bee so that when you approch neere him he arise courteously and salute you theiâ—… thinke him to bee the seruant of Christ and so heare him and obey him but if when you approch hee despise you and will not vouchsafe to rise at your presence which are the greater number let him likewise bee despised of you And truly saith hee as this Anchoret bade them so did they for it happened that when they came thither S. Austine was already set in his chaire and stirred not which when they saw forthwith waxing wroth they noted him of pride and therefore endeuoured to ouerthwart and gainsay whatsoeuer he proposed And so the Synod brake vp without any thing done Thus then wee see that the substance of doctrine was embraced in Britaine before the sending of Austin from Rome only in ceremonies they dissented as the most of Christian Churches without derogation to the Gospell at this day doe And this for the celebration of Easter a matter of no great moment if we consider our Christian libertie and the Apostles feare that the obseruations of daies moneths times and yeeres turne the hearts after beggerly rudiments bring againe into bondage and make his labours for Christ in vaine yet for the different obseruation only of this Feast from the Romans how oft are the Britaine 's tearmed by Beda a wicked people a cursed nation and well deseruing those calamities which the Lord did afflict vpon them This controuersie for Easters celebration thus begun continued no lesse then ninety yeeres after and was lastly concluded in manner as followeth 12 This variance saith Beda made not onely the people to doubt and feare lest bearing the name of Christians they did and had runne in vaine as the Apostle speaketh but also good Oswy King of Northumberland and learned Prince Alkfryd with Queene Eanfled were much distracted and perplexed for by this variance saith hee it often times hapned that in one yeere two Easters were kept for the King breaking vp his Fast and solemnizing of the Feast the Queene with Prince Alkfrid continued their Fast and kept that day their Palme-Sunday To conclude which contrarietie a Synod purposely was called and the Question disputed by their best Diuines The place was Stranshalch or Whitby whereof Hilda was Abbesse The chiefe parties for and against the accustomed time of keeping that feast were King Oswy and Prince Alkfrid his sonne The Disputers for Oswy and the established orders were Colman Arch-bishop of Yorke with his Scotish Clergie and Hilda the vertuous and learned Lady Abbesse of the place For Alkfrid and the attempted alteration were Agilbert Bishop of the West-Saxons Wilfrid Abbat of Rippon with Iames and Romanus two learned men and the reuerend Cedda newly consecrated Bishop appointed Prolocutor of the Assembly The Conuocation set King Oswy made a solemne Oration wherein hee vrged a necessitie that those people which serued one God ought to celebrate his heauenly Sacraments alike and should keepe one order and rule in the same the truth of which seruice and surcease of that long vnchristian variance for the Christian celebration and time of Easter was then presently by those learned men to bee handled and by best approouements to be determined whereunto hee requested their vttermost endeuours and to that purpose commanded his Arch-bishop Colman first to speake whereupon Colman with reuerence stood vp and said The Easter which I obserue I receiued of my Fore-fathers of whom I was consecrated and sent hither for your Bishop They all you know were godly men and obserued the Feast as we doe now neither thinke you they kept this tradition without sure warrant from greater then themselues which was Sâ—…lut Iohn the Euangelist and the Disciple whom Iesus especially loued who in the Churches which himselfe plâ—…ted celebrated the Feast of Easter as we doe now Therefore knowing the man so worthy and the manner so ancient I hope you will all confesse it is not safe for vs now to reiect Wilfride the declaimer appointed to answer stood vp and said The Easter which we obserue wee our selues haue seene obserued in Rome where the blessed Apostles Peter and Paul liued preached suffred and are buried and in our trauels thorow France and Italie either for
posterity The conquest of Dublin being speedily and most happily atchieued not long after Dermot Mac Murgh Father in law to the Earle whom the Irish for his affection to the English call Dermot Ningall that is Dermot the Strangers friend breathed his last at Fernys dying plenus dierum 59 The fame of these successes wafting ouer the Irish seas and comming to the King made him resolue to passe in person thither that he might haue the honor of the Conquest and not approuing such forwardnes in the Earle who as some say went against his expresse commandement and indeed Giraldus who liued at that time cals his leaue no better then an Ironicall leaue and for that hee knew not to what insolency such faire fortune might in time allure as also for that they seemed to handle the Natiues too rigorously thereupon hee forbids by his Proclamations any vessell to carry any thing out of his Dominions into Ireland and commands all English to returne before Easter and leaue off their attempts or their estates in England should be seised for the King By which Edict these affaires were brought into fearefull extremity which was changed into better condition by the trauell of Herucius de Monte Marisco on the behalfe of the Earle and the aduenturers who finding the King in Glocestershire with an Army for Ireland appeased his displeasure vpon these termes That the King should haue the head City of the Kingdom Dublin with the adiacent Cantreds with all the Coast townes and Castles the rest to remaine to the Conquerours to hold of the King and of his Heires and so to bee vnder his protection as Subiects ought and as they were before which subiection it seemed to the King they ment to haue renounced 60 The Kings goodly Nauy lay in Milford hauen to which as hee iournied hee thundred against the Welsh Nobility comming to entertaine him for suffering Strongbow to depart At last being imbarkt he had a faire Gale which set him safe in Ireland with all his Forces at Waterford where first hee commits to prison Robert Fitz-Stephen whom the Citizens presented bound hauing held him in custody vnder color of doing good seruice because hee had entred Ireland without the Kings particular leaue yet soon after the King released him but depriued him of Weisford and the territories Then takes he the homages of such petty Kings and principall persons of the Irish as repaired dismissing them in honourable sort meaning to winne them by gentle and not exasperating courses and marching through Ossyrie to Dublin he takes ô Rotherick the King of Connaughts homage by Hugh Lacie and William Fitz-Aldelm last ly at Dublin he kept his Christmas in Royall state which to behold very many of the Irish Princes came thither 61 Mindfull now of his duty to God the Iland being calme and silent through the presence of such a mighty Monarch the most noble King of England and triumphator of Ireland as mine Author stileth him causeth a Synode to be holden at Cassils for reformation of the Irish Church where amongst sundry other constitutions to which the Irish Clergy did willingly submit it was decreed That all the Church-lands and their possessions should be altogether free from the exaction of secular men that from thenceforth all Diuine things should be handled in euery part of Ireland in such sort as the Church of England handleth them For saith the Constitution it is most iust and meete that as Ireland hath by Gods mercy obtained a Lord and King out of England so also that from thence they should receiue a better forme of life and maners then heretofore they vsed 62 The King continuing his politicke iealousies and thinking Strongbow to be as yet too great draws from his dependency Raimund Milo Cogan William Makarel and other of the best Captaines makes them his owne by bounty But before hee could fully establish that Kingdome the inseparable euil fate thereof which would neuer suffer it to enioy the blessed benefite of exact ciuility other affaires which he esteemed more necessary call him away and therefore hauing left Hugh Lacie at Dublin hee sets saile for England vpon Easter Monday and landed happily at Saint Dauids in Pembrookeshire from whence with all speed hee posteth into Normandie 63 In Normandy there attended for his arriuall two Cardinals sent as Legates at his owne request for taking his purgation concerning the death of the Archbishop of Canterbury whereof vpon oath that hee was no way consenting to that cruell and sacrilegious reuenge and declaring withall his infinite sorrow for hauing in his anger giuen occasion by rash words for others to doe that deede and giuing further oath to performe enioined penances he was by them absolued The condition of his absolutions were That hee should at his owne charge maintaine two hundreth Souldiers for an whole yeere for defence of the holy land That he should suffer Appeales to be made freely That hee should reuoke all customes introduced to the preiudice of the Churches liberty That he should restore and make vp the possessions of the Church of Canterbury That hee should freely receiue all such as were in banishment for Beckets cause c. Not long after Thomas was canonized by Pope Alexander and so not onely the victorie clearely giuen him against King Henry but a triumph also 64 Now beganne the wombe of rebellion and vnnaturall conspiracies to disclose the mischiefes which were ordained to exercise this right redoubted King and Warriour â—…hatched here at home by the malice some say of Eleanor his Queene at such time as hee was absent in Ireland so that as one writes God stirred vp the Kings owne bowells against himselfe Causes of this vnhappie dissention there were many First a Queene and Wife violentlie vindicatiue for wrong done vnto her Bed by the King who was immoderatlie addicted to varietie of loues then Ambition in an euill-naturd Child and lastlie pernicious Actors and instruments who for their owne ends nourished this cursed mischiefe so as if we should out of our stories recapitulate the seuerall occasions taken by the sonne against the father wee should rather shew you the colours then the causes For none of those causes which his Son pretended seemed great enough with men that feare God to beare out such continuall diuisions as followed 65 The head of this conspiracy was verie great and iustly verie terrible for on the side of King Henry the sonne there were the Kings of France and Scotland Richard and Geffrey two yonger sonnes of the King of England whom by their mothers perswasions they forsooke to follow the yongue King Dauid the Scotish Kings brother Philip Earle of Flanders a Peere of France and a potent Prince Matthew Earle of Boloigne Theobald Earle of Blois Hugh Earle of Chester Robert Earle of Leicester Hugh Bigot Earle of Norfolke Roger Mowbray and other great ones
howsoeuer the silent partialities of forrain Writers smoother them that himself wrote ouer to his deerest Hubert Archbishoppe of Canterburie That by Gods fauour who in all things considers the right hee had taken Tailburg Marsiliac and all the other Castles of Geofrey de Rancune the City of Engolisme and all the Castles and Territories of the Earle thereof and almost three hundreth Knights or men of Armes and about forty thousand armed Souldiers 61 We will not here ouerpasse that which Houeden reports being an example of Christian repentance in Princes of a poore Hermits comming to this noble Monarch and preaching to him the words of eternall life and bad him bee mindfull of the subuersion of Sodom and to abstaine from things vnlawfull otherwise saith he the deserued vengeance of God will come vpon thee The Hermit being gone the King neglected his words but not long after falling sicke hee more seriously bethought himselfe and afterward waxing sound in soule as well as body his daily exercise was to rise earely not to depart from the Church till diuine seruice were finished whereupon saith Houeden how glorious it is for a Prince to beginne and end his actions in him who is beginning without beginning and iudgeth the ends of the earth Moreouer hee bountifully releeued euery day much poore both in his Court and Townes about and restored gold and siluer vessels to such Churches from which to pay his ransome they had beene taken away 62 After this passed sundry interchanges betwixt the French and English sometimes of warres with wasts and spoiles sometimes of truces with interuiewes and Parlies in one of which the Lady Alice cause of much mischiefe K. Philips sister was restored according to the contract of Messana to her brother who forthwith bestowed her in mariage vpon Iohn Earle of Pontif. In the mean while the Kings sought to make friends vpon all sides but King Richard by his munificence and other means drew from King Philip a mighty party of his neerest neighbours Baldwin Earle of Flanders Raimund Earle of Tholose to whom also King Richard gaue in marriage his sister Ioan Queen of Sicilia the * Chāpanois and others so that Philip was faine to trust wholy vpon himselfe for whereas hee had latelie married the sister of the King of Denmarke of purpose to vse the Danish shipping against the English that affinity proued enmity for the next day after his wedding hee put her away pretending besides * other things that shee was of too neere a propinquity of bloud albeit most vntrulie as her brother the King of Denmarke proued before the Pope though he could not be heard the King of France more preuailing either by feare or fauour 63 About this time Iohn the Kings brother Markadey Captaine of the Brabanters called the Rowtes had made an incursion vp to Beauois where the Bishoppe being also an Earle of the Roiall Bloud and the eleuenth Peere of France valiantly fighting was taken in the skirmish armed at all points and brauely mounted on whose behalfe the Pope vpon the Bishops humble suite * pleading the Clergies immunity wrote somewhat earnestlie to King Richard to set his verie deare sonne for so he called the Bishop at liberty The King in a kind of pleasant earnestnesse caused the Habergeon and Curaces of the Bishop to be presented to the Pope with this question alluding to that of * Iacobs children to their father concerning Iosephs garment Vide an tunica filii tui sit an non See whether it bee thy sonnes coat or no. Whereupon the Pope replied that he was neither his sonne nor the sonne of the Church and therefore should be ransomed at the Kings will because hee was rather iudged to be a seruitor of Mars then a Souldier of Christ. Whom the King of England in reuenge of many euill offices especiallie in the time of his captiuity with the Emperour handled sharpely The Bishop at length waxing impatient writes a passionate letter to the Pope whose answere in part is here set downe for that it notably defends the King of England If saith the Pope thou hast had ill successe it is no maruaile for putting off the peaceable Prelate thou didst put on the warlike Souldier and rashly tookest a shield in stead of a cope a sword for a Stole a Curace for an Albe an Helmet for a Miter a Lance for a Bishops staffe peruerting the order course of things neither meant you as you alledge to repell violence but vertue nor did you fight for your Country but against it for of your France we can now publikely pronounce Woe to that land whose King is a Child For your King was strictly bound by corporall oath to the King of England not to damnifie his territories c. at least wise till his returne from the iourney of his Pilgrimage neuerthelesse contrary to his faith and oath hee without all shame seised by force the good townes of the said King and cruellie wasted his Dominions with hostile hand but that King returning at last out of captiuity manfully encountred your King not reposing his hope in multitude but in Almighty God c. Humility therefore against pride right and equity against wrong measure and modesty against intemperance and arrogancy haue certainely hitherto fought for the King of England c. Wee haue notwithstanding directed our supplicatorie letters to him on thy behalfe c. for in such a case we neither can nor ought commaund c. Meane while beare your bands and sorrowes patientlie c. 64 While thus sundry warlike matters passed betweene the English and French the King of England encreaseth his side with new associates Arthur Duke of Britaine the Duke of Luuain the Earles of Gynes Boloine Perch and Blois with others and * Houeden recites three seuerall times within a short space in which the King of France was driuen with losse and dishonour out of the field by King Richard beside the losse of Saint Omers of Air and of other Townes wonne by Baldwin Earle of Flanders and besides the wast of the French Dominions by many inuasions But the greatest of the three victories was the second which King Richard gained at the battaile betweene Curceles and Gysors where the K. of France himselfe fell into the riuer of E the the bridge breaking vnder him with the throng of people which fled for their liues before the English Lion neither was hee easily saued twenty of his men of Armes being drowned by that ruine but before he could be drawne out water had gotten into his belly 65 This was a famous victory for besides a long Catalogue of great names extant in Authors there were taken by the Kings Armie 100. Knights and Seruitours on horse-backe and footmen without number besides thirty men of Armes and other inferiour Souldiers not countable which Markadey Generall of the Rowtes had for prisoners
whose Castelan being a Confederate gaue them easie entrance but the Londoners displeased with the King for burthening them with taxes not onely admitted them but inuited them by request to enter their City by night where hauing that Key as it were of the land in their dispose they by their threatfull letters not onely drew most of the Nobles from the King but also had almost lockt him out of his Regall Seat To preuent which outrage by gentle messages intreating of the Barons a place and day of meeting who thereto designed Runingmead since called Counsel-mead for such consultations of State they thither came with armed multitudes out of all the Kingdome beyond all number that the King seeing his power far inferiour vnto theirs was constrained to grant them their vttermost desires not onely for Liberties specified in Magna Charta and Charta foresta but also for a kind of sway in the Gouernment by twenty fiue selected Peeres to whose commaunds all the other Barons also were bound by oath to bee obsequious Thus one of the greatest Soueraignes of Christendome was now becom the twenty sixth petty king in his owne Dominions as appeared that very night when all the rest following the pompous streame of the new vpstart-Kings left their Soueraigne onelie with seuen Gentlemen to attend him What maruaile if high disdain herof pierced his swelling heart sitian both bodily ghostly and not onely forgaue gladly all his mortall persecutors holding that a mater though very difficult to flesh and bloud yet salutary to the Soule but also sent command to Henry his sonne to doe the same to whom hee caused all present to sweare fealty as to the Heyre of his Crowne and sent his letters to all his Officers abroad exhorting them to assist him And thus hee commended his soule to God and his Body to bee buried in Worcester Church where the Bishop solemnly interred it by the Kings appointment neere the Body of Wolstan a saincted Bishoppe renowned for constant fidelity to his Prince against the rebellious Nobles of his time with which kind of men King Iohns gouernment had beene miserably encombred 62 This being the Catastrophe of his Tragicall Raigne might also haue beene the close of his Story had not the suddenty of his death exacted some search into the cause of his sicknesse Such Authors as touch the matter but in generall content themselues with saying he dyed of a griefe or a feauer or a flux or a surfet but those who haue entred into the particulars insist on such a Surfet as wherof both griefe feauer and flux were most probable effects and Symptomes For comming say they from the Washes to Swinshed Abbey being of the Cisleaux Order which of old he had much incensed hee added new matter of offence as he sate at meat when in speech of his enemies too large prouision hee sware if hee liued but halfe a yeere longer he would make one halfe-penny loafe as deare as twelue which to preuent a Monke of that holy habit whither in loue to Lewis or hate to the King or pitty on the Land presenting him with an enuenomed Cup whereof the King commanded him to bee his Taster became the Diabolical Instrument of his own and his Soueraignes destruction This relation deliuered by Monkes and men of Monkish humour as a thing so vndenyable that they auow at what time they wrote this fiue Monkes in that Abbey did sing for this their Brothers soule specially and so should whiles the Abbey stood which if it had beene forged euery Child might easily haue refuted and the rehearsall of all circumstances thereof of the Kings speeches of the Monkes conference with his Abbot of his preparing the drinke with a Toade in the garden of his dying in the Firmary might deserue credite with the greatest Patrones of Monkery yet one of them as if by acquiting Simon of Swinshed all other of such Orders were cleared from assasinating of Princes striueth eagerly to asperse some late Relaters hereof with the blots both of malice forgery Wherein is the malice in adding to the narration Pictures also of the fact so to moue hatred to Monkes and their Religion whereas of truth either Monkes or men of that Religion were the very first who not onely so depictured but also liuely and richly depainted it in their goodliest Manuscripts Wherein then the Forgery in adding to Caxton that his Abbot gaue him absolution for the same before hand there being no such matter at all nor any mention thereof in the story No let the very story speake The Monke went to the Abbot and was shriuen of him and told the Abbot all the King had said and prayd his Abbot to assoile him for hee would giue the King such a drinke that all England should be glad thereof and ioyfull thâ—… yode the Monke into the Garden c. Yea farther one Monkalleadgeth an inducement for the Abbots assent therto for that the King had sent for the Abbots sister a faire Prioresse with purpose to haue deflowred her Yea but the Story it self is charged with noueltie the first author thereof being but An. 1483. and all other former Writers making no mention of it This if true were somewhat and doubtlesse it is as true as the former for how could hee bee the first Author when not onelie Ranulph the Monke of Chester Iohn of Tynmouth and Thomas Otterbourne the Francistan Fryer recorded it as a fame generally receiued but sundry other ancient stories as Iohn of Lichfield the Monke of Leicester Scala Mundi to omit other namelesse Authors before Ann. 1483 so confidently auouch his poisoning at Suinshead that vnpartiall after-Writers though friends to Monkery made no scruple to beleeue it And why should they not sith an Author more ancient and vnexceptionable then all the rest euen king Iohns Sonne and Successor in his Kingdome auerred it when the Prior of Clerken-well saucily telling him being then in that house that as some as hee ceast to doe Iustice towards his Prelates hee should cease to be a King the King enraged with his trayterous threat replyed What meane you to turne mee out of my Kingdome and afterward to murder me as my father was dealt with 63 But not to trouble our selues with refuting a Gooses gagling against Foxes true relation easie it is to obserue the hatred of Monks against that King both in thus procuring his death then and his dishonour a second death in their slanderous inuentions euer since For whereas he writ by some of his Bishops to certaine forraine Princes for aides against his faithlesse Rebels the Monkes charge him that hee counterfeited his Bishoppes Seales and writ abroad that all Englishmen were become Infidels and Apostates from
you haue no need of a Priest yet and therewith laughed vpon him as though hee would say yee shall haue soone But so little wist the other what hee meant and so little mistrusted his present perill as hee neuer was merrier nor neuer so full of good hope in his life which selfe thing is often seene a signe of change but I shall rather let any thing passe me then the vaine surety of mans mind so neere his death Vpon the very Tower-wharfe so neere the place where his head was strooke off soone after there met he with one Hastings a Purseuant of his owne name And of their meeting in that place hee was put in remembrance of another time in which it had happened them before to meet in the like manner together in the same place At which other time the L. Chamberlaine had been accused vnto King Edward by the Lord Riuers the Queenes brother in such wise as hee was for the while but it lasted not long farre fallen into the Kings indignation and stood in great feare of himselfe And forasmuch as hee now mette this Purseuant in the same place that ieopardy so well passed it gaue him great pleasure to talke with him thereof with whom hee had before talked therof in the same place while he was therein And therefore he said ah Hastings art thou remembred that I met thee once here with a heauy heart yea my Lord quoth hee that remember I well and thanked bee God they got no good nor you no great harme Thou wouldest say so quoth he if thou knew so much as I know which few know else as yet and more shall shortly That ment hee by the Lords of the Queenes kindred which were taken before and should that same day bee beheaded at Pomfret which hee well wist but was nothing aware that the axe hung ouer his owne head In faith man quoth he I was neuer so sorry nor neuer stood in so great dread of my life as I did when thou and I met here And loe how the world is changed now stand my enemies in the danger as thou maist hap to heare more hereafter and I neuer in mylife so merry nor neuer in so great surety Oh good God the blindnes of our mortall nature when he most feared he was in good suretie when he reckened himselfe surest he lost his life and that within two houres after Thus ended this honorable man a good Knight and a gentle of great authority with his Prince of liuing somewhat dissolute plaine and open to his enemies and secret to his friends easie to be beguiled as he that of good heart courage forestudied no perils a louing man a passing well beloued very faithful and trusty enough trusting indeed too much Now flew the fame of this Lords death swiftly through the Citie and from thence further like a winde in euery mans eare 47 But the Protector immediately after dinner intending to set some colour vpon the matter sent in all hast for many substantiall men out of the City into the Tower at whose comming thither himselfe with the Duke of Buckingham stood harnessed in olde rusty briganders such as no more man should weene that they would vouchsafe to haue put on their backes except that some suddain neces sity had constrained them thereto And then the Protector shewed them that the Lord Chamberlaine and others of his conspiracy had contriued to haue suddainly destroied him and the Duke there the same day in Counsell And what they intended further was not yet well knowne Of which their treason he neuer had knowledge before ten of the clocke the same forenoone which suddain feare droue them to put on for their defence such harnesse as came next to hand and so had God holpen them that the mischiefe returned vpon them that would haue done it and this he required them to report 48 Euerie man answered him faire as though no man mistrusted the matter which oftruth no man beleeued yet for the further appeasing of the peoples minde he sent immediately after dinner in all haste an Herauld of Armes with a Proclamation to be made through the City in the Kings name conteining that the Lord Hastings with diuers others of his traiterous purpose had before conspired the same day to haue slaine the Lord Protector and Duke of Buckingham sitting in the Councell and after to haue taken vpon them to rule the King and the Realme at their owne pleasures thereby to pill and spoile whom they listed vncontrolled And much matter there was in that Proclamation deuised to the slander of the Lord Chamberlaine as that he was an euill Counseller to the Kings father entising him to many things highly redounding to his great dishonour and to the vniuersall hurt of his Realme by his euill company sinister procuring vngratious example aswell in many other things as in the vicious liuing and inordinate abusion of his body both with many others and especially with Shores wife who was one also of his most secret Counsell in this hainous treason with whom hee lay nightly and namely the night last past before his death so that it was the lesse maruell if vngracious liuing brought him to an vnhappy ending which he was now put vnto by the most dread commandement of the Kings highnesse and of his honorable and faithfull Counsell both for his demerits being so openly taken in his falsely conceiued treason as also least the delaying of his execution might haue encouraged other mischieuous persons partners of his conspiracy to gather and assemble themselues together in making some great commotion for his deliuerance whose hope being now by his wel-deserued death politickely repressed all the Realme should by Gods grace rest in good quiet and peace 49 Now was this Proclamation made within two houres after that he was beheaded and was so curiously indited and so faire written in parchment in so well a set hand and therewith of it selfe so long a processe as euery child might perceiue that it was prepared before For all the time between his death and the proclaiming could scant haue suffised vnto the bare writing alone had it beene but in paper and scribled forth in hast at aduenture So that vpon the proclaiming thereof one that was Schoole-master of Paules of chance standing by and comparing the shortnes of the time with the length of the matter said vnto them that stood about him Here is a gay goodly cast foule cast away for hast and a Merchant answered him that it was written by Prophecie Now then by and by as it were for anger not for couetousnesse the Protector sent the Sheriffes of London into the house of Shores wife for her husband dwelled not with her and spoiled her of all that shee had aboue the value of three thousand markes carrying her through London vnto the Tower and there left her Prisoner where for fashion sake he laid
of their poore whereunto he gaue fiue hundred Markes yeerely of Lands for euer to maintaine Gods diuine seruice and the said Churches reparations within whose walles we finde this often written This is Christs Church founded by King Henrie the eight 134 And his sicknes inâ—…asing to the great danger of life hee prepared himselfe to make his Wil wherein howsoeuer titles had been vnhabled in Parliaments he ordained his three children to succeede each after others for want of other Issue One thousand markes he commanded to be giuen to the poore and to twelue poore Knights at Winsere each of them twelue pence a day for euer euery yeere a long Gowne of white cloth the Gâ—…ter imbroidered vpon the breast wherein was placed the Crosse of Saint George and a Mantle of red cloth to bee worne thereupon ordâ—…ning for his Executors in the minority of Prince Edward these heere vnder named 1 Thomas Crâ—…er Archbishop of Ganterbury 2 Thomas 〈◊〉 Lord Chancellor 3 William 〈◊〉 Knight of the Order 4 Lord Saint-Iohn Great Master of the Houshold 5 Iohn Russell Lord 〈◊〉 Seale 6 Edward 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of Hertford Lord great Chamberâ—…ine 7 Iohn 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Lord high Admiral 8 Cutbert 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 of 〈◊〉 9 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Knight Mr. of the Horse 10 〈◊〉 Pageâ—… Knight of the Order 11 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Chiefe iustice of the Common-pleâ—… 12 Thomas Bromley Lord Chiefe Iustice. 13 Anthony Deny Knight 14 Edward North Knight 15 Edward Wotton Knight 16 Doctor Wotton Deane of Canterbury And for their aide and assistance in Counsell he appointed these following 1 Henry Fitz-Alan Earle of Arundel 2 William Parre Earle of Essex 3 Thomas Cheney Knight Treasurer of the Houshold 4 Iohn Gage Knight CoÌ„troler of the Houshold 5 Anthony Winkefield Knight Vice-Chamberlaine 6 William Peter Knight principall Secretary 7 Richard Rich Knight 8 Iohn Baker Knight 9 Ralph Sadler Knight 10 Thomas Seimer Knight 11 Richard Southwell Knight 12 Edmund Pecham Knight And in great penitency for his sinnes died vpon Thursday the twenty eight day of Ianuary in the yeere of Christ Iesus 1546. when hee had raigned thirty seuen yeere nine moneths and fiue daies had liued fifty fiue yeres fiue months fiue daies whose body with great solemnity was buried at Windsore vnder a most costly and stately Tombe begunne in Copper and guilt but neuer finished in the inclosures of whose Grates is curiously cast this inscription HENRICVS OCTAVUS REX ANGLIAE FRANCIAE DOMINVS HIBERNIAE FIDEI DEFENSOR with what cost and state this his Monument was intended is manifested by a Manuscript taken from the true modell thereof which I receiued from that industrious Herauld Master Nicholas Charles Lancaster and for the great magnificence is worthy heere to be inserted The maner of the Tombe to be made for the Kings Grace at Windsore First the pauement wherevpon the Tombe shall stand shall be of Orientall stone That is to say of Alabaster Porfido Serpentines and other stones of diuers colours as in the patterne sheweth Item vpon the same Pauement shall be two great steps vnder all the worke of like Orientall stones Item the Basement of the Pillers shall be of white Marble with Angelâ—… holding betweene them Crownes or Garlands guilt and white Marble as more plainely sheweth in the Patterne Item aboue the said Basement and Angels shall be all the old Testament that is to say xiiij Images in the xiiij Casements of the same two Pillers of the Prophets and all the Pillers which shall be xvi shall be of stones Serpentine Porfido and Alabaster and other fine Orientall stones of such colours as is shewed in the Patterne and the foote of euery piller and also the head shall be of Brasse And euery Prophet shall haue an Angell sit at his foote with Scripture of the name of his Prophet and aboue ouer the head of the same shall bee the story of his Prophet in euery of which Story shall bee at least viij or xi figures Item aboue all the same Pillers shall bee another Basement of white Marble with a partition being made of such fine Orientall stones as the Pillers bee wherein shall bee written such Scripture as please you Item aboue the same Basement shall be the Story of the new Testament that is to wit with the Images of the Apostles the Euangelists and the foure Doctors of the Church and euery Image shall haue sitting at his foote a little child with a Scripture of the name of his Image and a little Basket full of red and white Roses which they shall shew to take in their hands and cast them downe off the Tombe and ouer the Pauement and the Roses that they shal cast ouer the Tombe shall bee enamelled and guilt and the roses that they cast ouer the Pauements shal be of fine Orientall stones of white and red Item behinde all the same Images of the new Testament round shall be made in brasse and guilt all the life of Iesus Christ from the natiuity to his ascention and it shall be so clearely and perfectly made that the Mystery of Christs life to his ascention shall plainely appeare Item aboue the said new Testament and Images thereof and aboue the said life of Christ shall bee a Quire of xx Angels standing vpon a Basement of white Marble with great Candlestickes in their hands hauing lights in them shewing to honour and reuerence the same Tombe Item all these foresaid figures stories and ornaments shall be made to garnish and ornate the two Pillers of the Church betweene which the Tombe shall be set Item betweene the said two great Pillers of the Church thus garnished shall be a Basement of white Marble of the height of the Basement of the Pillers and therein the Epitaph of the King and Queene with letters of gold of such Scriptures as yee deuise Item vpon the same Basement shall bee made two Tombes of blacke-touch that is to say on either side one and vpon the said Tombes of black Touch shall be made the Image of the King and Queene on both sides not as death but as persons sleeping because to shew that famous Princes leauing behinde them great fame their names neuer doe die and shal lie in roiall Apparels after the antique maner Item ouer the right hand ouer both the sides of the same Tombe shall be an Angell which shall hold the Kings Armes with a great Candlesticke hauing as it were light on it as a Lampe and in like manner shall be an other Angell holding the Queenes Armes on the left hand with a like Candlesticke Item on the right hand and left hand on both the sides ouer the said Images of the King and Queene shall be two Angels shewing to the people the bodies of the King and Queene holding aboue their Heades veiles of gold and the Crownes of the King and Queene on their hands Item betweene the said two Tombes of blacke Touch and the said Angell ouer the King Queene shall stand